History
In 1995, Choice Hotels announced MainStay Suites, an extended stay hotel with rates of $40-$60 per night.[1] Part of the motivation was a 1995 study by D.K. Shifflet & Associates estimating that extended-stay guests accounted for around 228 million room-nights per year.[3] The brand originally focused on newly constructed properties.[4]
MainStay Suites launched in 1996, with the first location in Plano, Texas.[5][6] It was the first mid-market extended-stay brand from a major hotel company.[3] In a 1997 letter to shareholders, the company explained that the extended-stay market was fueled by an increase in travelling consultants and specialists following corporate downsizing in the 1980s and 1990s.[4]
In 2015, Choice Hotels introduced a dual-brand hotel prototype, which combined a 38-room Sleep Inn with a 31-room MainStay Suites under one roof.[7][8] There were 10 dual-branded locations open by 2018,[9] and in 2019 Choice Hotels announced five more Sleep Inn/MainStay Suites properties to be built across California and Arizona.[10] That same year, the firm unveiled a new MainStay Suites Logo, alongside new logos for Quality Inn, Clarion, and Sleep Inn.[11]
Corporate Affairs
MainStay Suites targets guests looking for long-term accommodation, including business travelers, medical staff and patients, academics, and sports teams.[12] While its strategic footprints are primarily in the U.S., MainStay Suites also holds rights to expand into Canada.[13] Rooms are designed with separate lounge and work areas, and include standard amenities like 24/7 laundry services, exercise facilities, high-speed internet and weekly housekeeping.[2]
The brand's portfolio is evenly split between conversions and new constructions.[14] To accelerate conversions, MainStay Suites uses modular construction design packages, such as "Kitchen-in-a-box" and "Lobby-in-a-box" for kitchens and lobbies respectively.[14][15]
